Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1887-09-10
ED1TH's TWO TIC

navy N1GO JONN IN1O NS
This makes the third time"
mamma, dear, l really can't re-
member, no matter how hard | try"
answered the little girl, blushing.
Then, after a pause, during which
she gazed intently at her mothers
face, she continued, mamma, are
you displeased? DO you think | do
it on purpose ?"
eyes, Edith l am certainly vexed
that 1 should be obliged to speak to
you so often about such an annoying
habit. I do not think you do it on
purpose, but l think you do not try
the right way; for if you had been
sincere in your efforts, you would
have cured yourself long ago."
sob, mamma, I am SO sorry! Do
you mind if 1 hold your hand-no, not
your hand, for that has your purse in
it, but the corner of your cloak ?
Then / can't swing that arm and I'll
be sure to remember about the other"
Her. mother smiled at her earnest
ness. "It would hardly do for such
= big girl to hold on to my mantle;
besides it would be awkard. Can
you not think of a better plan?"
eyes, yes, mamma; Ihave a splen-
did idea! See, this block is't so very
long, is it? Well, I will just hold my
hands down tight, and whisper,
windmill, windmill all the time to
myself. Then 1 really can't forget,
because'it makes me so. ashamed to
have you tell me I amslike a wind
mill. Now, mamma, dear, you
won't say again, will you, that I
do not try the right way?"
Edith walked a few PAGES stifiy,
with her arms pinioned closely to
each side. Suddenly she said, "Ma-
ma, what does today remind you of?
Something very important that only
comes once a year."
"Why, 1 did not know today was
different from any other Wednesday"
answered her mother.
sob, mamma" laughed Edith
merrily; cit is just one week to your
birthday land [ have been wondering
what to give you for a present. i
have only five cents-sOmething that
you'll like all your life"
"Buy me a little girl who can walk
a whole block" commenced
her mother, smiling.
"There, mamma, how could 1!
Now you'll think l wasn't sincere in
my effort. But I don't think that
way was very good, do you? Be-
cause it would be rather funny for me
to whisper windmill, windmill dur
ing the rest of my life. Mamma,
must make a new effort"
Edith's mother only sighed-Edith
had made sc many promises. But
this time she was. sincere. That very
night, as she lay in bed, Edith re.
solved to cure herself before hel
mothers birthday. She tried to pic
ture her mothers delight when she
would say, "Mamma, | have bought
you what you wanted. Here is 8
little girl who never, never swings
her arms" AT last she discovered
good plan and fell asleep thinking o.
it.
The next day, on her way from
school, she stopped at a drygoodE
store and asked to see some buttons
81 only want two," she said to the
clerk, "and l want them to cos
exactly five cents, and l want then
to be dark blue and not snowy"
The clerk smiled good-naturedly a
the little girl who gave so many
orders, and placed a large box filled
with odd buttons before her, telling
her she could choose two of any kind
Edith spent fully half an hour look
ing them over. 1t was difficult to de
eide, when there were so many pref
ty varieties. She was very much
tempted by two beautiful gold one:
as big as dollars, with the picture o
man leaping over a precipice; bu
she put them out of sight, with ,
little sigh, and chose two blue but
tons of medium size, with a pair o
tiny white doves pecking at eacl
other.
pretty as jewels, Miss" said TIT
clerk when she brought them to him
"and really valuable as works of art
1t was only yesterday Mrs. Colone
Nanderslice came in her ccrriage-
perhaps your ma knows her, Miss
and said as how they were Pliny'
doves. Now, Miss, if 1 hadn't jus
promised them to you for five cents
---II-yL AoI-N - ill., 49, -